Lead a Proseminar

ISS proseminars give selected faculty (designated as ISS Fellows) the opportunity to lead interdisciplinary graduate seminars in topics that are of broad interest to graduate students across the division. Submissions of proposals from faculty in the social sciences interested in leading a Proseminar in 2017-18 closed on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.

One key to excellence in interdisciplinary research and graduate training is exposure to cutting-edge methods and concepts. Example topics for an ISS Proseminar include statistics, modeling, simulation, visualization, network analysis, qualitative coding, creativity, ethnography, social media approaches, and so on.

For 2017-18, ISS is particularly (but not exclusively) interested in proposals related to GIS and digital mapping.

How it works

Proseminars can be led by one or two faculty members, meeting with participants weekly if jointly-led, or bi-weekly otherwise. Seminar time can be used for mini-lectures, demonstrations, guest lectures, workshops, journal critiques, presentations, or co-mentoring.

ISS Fellows are awarded research funding: $5,000 for a fellow leading a proseminar by themselves, or $4,000 each for two fellows co-leading. Fellows are also allocated a small events budget to support regional visitors, food, and events. A meeting room and scheduling assistance will be provided. A webpage will be made for each proseminar, intended to be updated with brief summaries of each class meeting. ISS Fellows can choose to write these summaries themselves, or enlist the help of graduate student participants.

The overall arrangement of the proseminar is flexible, but the minimum expectations are for ten total lecture hours per ISS Fellow. This could include two fellows lecturing for a total of 20 hours.

Graduate students can earn course credit as a 298 group study, at the rate of one credit for each proseminar weekly hour.

Proposals

Proposals for ISS Proseminars, totaling no more than 1,000 words, should include the following information:

Proseminar title (topic), with a brief summary of the concept or methodology to be covered

A description of the graduate students (by discipline) who may be interested in this topic, concept, or methodology, and why. Graduate students from outside the College of Letters and Science may also be included/identified.

A rough outline of the kinds of activities that will happen in the proseminar, including any outside speakers identified, workshops, trainings, etc. Please include a tentative schedule if possible.

Any other information that can help illuminate why this proseminar topic will help to further interdisciplinary training of graduate students in the social sciences.

Applicants should attach their CVs in addition to the proposal narrative.

Submissions for 2017-18 closed on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at 5:00 p.m.